Volunteer Mentor – TCS East

The Children’s Society’s services in Essex work with children, young people and families supporting them with a range of issues including drugs and alcohol, caring for a family member, domestic violence, crime and antisocial behaviour and parenting support.

We are looking for new Volunteer Mentors to support the professional staff team at The Children’s Society East in the delivery of services, ensuring that children, young people and their families/carers receive appropriate information and services that enable them to make good choices and live safely in their communities.

This would be an excellent opportunity for a reliable person with good communication skills to gain valuable skills and experience of supporting young people and families whilst making a real difference to vulnerable people in the community.

The key activities of the role include:

  • To support children and young people to develop skills, knowledge and self-confidence to enable them to respond to issues that affect them.
  • Offer support to service users inone-to-one and group settings, ensuring that mentoring goals remain the key focus of the mentoring sessions.
  • To support and assist staff with key activities being run by The Children’s Society East across Essex.
  • To represent The Children’s Society in a professional manner at all times and operate within clear boundaries as a mentor at all times.
  • Be vigilant about any potential safeguarding issues and immediately refer any disclosures/concerns to the Mentor Coordinator or Service Manager.
  • To contribute to the administration of the project by effective use of case recording, evaluation and any other administration requirement relevant to the role.
  • To understand and maintain confidentiality and data protection with information relating to the service (training will be provided).

The skills and qualities required to be effective in the role are:

  • No qualifications are required as full training will be provided, but experience or knowledge of working with young people would be an advantage.
  • The ability to engage and develop positive relationships with young people and families from a variety of backgrounds and to communicate in a non-judgemental, tactful and sensitive way at all times.
  • Reliable and able to manage your own time effectively.
  • To have an awareness of(or willingness to learn about) the factors that contribute to young people’s risky behaviour and/or involvement in substance use or misuse, and anawareness of the effects of a family member/carer’s substance use on a young person/family (training will be provided).
  • A basic understanding of substances and their impact on individuals and their families, or a willingness to learn (training will be provided).
  • Good problem-solving skills and ability to use your own initiative when appropriate.
  • Ability to write clear and succinct case notes.
  • Good knowledge of local community resources e.g. leisure activities, community centres, youth clubs, job centre.
  • Be committed to work to a high standard that is set within clear and agreed boundaries that enable them to meet project and organisation targets.
  • Co-operate well with the Mentor Coordinator and colleagues and responds positively to suggestions and feedback.

(Please note: if you have difficulty meeting these conditions because of a disability or family circumstances, the Mentor Coordinator will discuss it with you in order to consider reasonable adjustments to the role)

What we can offer you

  • A full induction to your role and The Children’s Society
  • On-going support and guidance from your volunteer coordinator
  • Training and access to a broad range of e-learning
  • The ability to get involved in other opportunities
  • A reference once you have been involved with us for a period of time
  • Reimbursement of reasonable expenses

Mandatory training

You will receive training in the following areas:

  • Safeguarding
  • Health and safety
  • Mentoring and group work
  • Substance misuse
  • Child sexual exploitation
  • Hidden Harm training

This role outline is binding in honour only, and is not intended to be legally binding